Chapter 1
Fernshade wandered through a brightly lit forest. The sun shone lightly through the leaves, gleaming off her pale green pelt. A mouse skittered almost right under Fernshade's paws, but she didn't go after it. Some sense told her that she was not here to hunt. "But if I'm not here to hunt for my clan, then why am I here?" Fernshade wondered. Fernshade looked around once again, trying to figure out where she was. "Then again, were is 'here'? It feels familiar...like I've been here before...but I don't recognize this part of the territory..."
Fernshade continued to walk through the forest, hoping she might find someone who could help her figure out where she was. As she brushed by some ferns, she saw a another cat. Fernshade almost called out to the cat, but then saw that the cat was hunting. Fernshade decided to let the cat finish its hunt before asking where she was. As Fernshade sat down to wait for the cat, it prowled forwards. The cat stopped, then leaped forwards, landing squarely on an unsuspecting squirrel. The cat then killed the squirrel with a swift bite to the neck.
"Good catch!" Fernshade called, stepping out of the shadows. The cat whirled around, and Fernshade froze in shock. The snow-white fur, the gleaming deep sea-blue mixed with sea-green eyes, the snowflake mark on the left forepaw... "Sn-Snowfall?" Fernshade asked in astonishment.
Snowfall, Fernshade's mother, was a beautiful she-cat who had died when Fernshade and her sister, Seaflash, were very young. Snowfall had died bravely defending Fernshade and Seaflash from a badger who had attacked the MoonClan camp. Fernshade had grown up in the care of another queen, Moonshadow, after Snowfall had died. Fernshade never really knew her father either, for he had died soon after Snowfall from grief. Fernshade had learned to defend for herself and only truly rely on herself so she would never have to suffer the pain of losing anyone again.
Fernshade and Snowfall just stared at each other for a moment. Then it all clicked into place for Fernshade. She was in StarClan, and that was why she was able to see her mother. "Snowfall!" Fernshade said as she rushed up to her mother and nuzzled her.
Snowfall's eyes were filled with shock. "Fernshade! You can't be here!" her voice was panicky.
Fernshade stepped back, hurt shining in her eyes. "B-But don't you want to see me?"
"Of course I do!" Snowfall hurriedly said. "It's just that..."
"Just what?" Fernshade inquired.
"I-" Snowfall was cut off as another cat stepped out of the bracken. This cat was a moon-silver color with dark specks of midnight blue. The cat had deep royal blue eyes. "That can't be...Midnightstar?"Fernshade asked awed.
Midnightstar was MoonClan's original leader and founder. He had been a rouge, but had formed MoonClan with Rainstorm, Snowfall, SparrowWing, and Hawkstar, then Hawkgaze. Midnightstar had then gathered other rouges, loners, and some kittypets to join the new clan. MoonClan had prospered under Midnightstar. He had been a good and kind leader, so it had been a tragedy for the whole clan when he had died.
Midnightstar purred softly. "Yes, I'm Midnightstar. And you must be Fernshade. I've been wanting to talk to you."
Fernshade gaped. "Me? Why would you want to talk to me?"
"You can't do this Midnightstar!" Snowfall said fiercely, stepping in front of Fernshade. "I won't let you!"
"What is going on here?!" Fernshade asked, becoming exasperated.
"Nothing that concerns you," Snowfall said, trying to steer Fernshade away from Midnightstar.
"Snowfall, this must be done, and you know that! For the good of MoonClan, for the good of all the clans," Midnightstar said gently.
"Would someone just explain to me what's going on?!" Fernshade practically yowled, her patience gone.
Midnightstar turned to Fernshade. "There's a prophecy, that says the clans will be destroyed by "a raging water storm". But, there remains hope. One cat can stand against the storm, but if this cat fails, the clans will be forever destroyed."
"That doesn't make any sense," Fernshade said, puzzled. "Don't all storms have water? And what makes you think I'm the cat who can stop it?"
"Let me tell you the prophecy," Midnightstar said, then recited,
The raging clawed storm looms over the clans
It's anger is unimaginable, unable to be deprived from its course
But one can stand against the raging force
A swaying plant glinting in the moon's light
Takes the force of the storm for the clans
But many challenges will make the one want to give up, turn back
If the one turns back, they will fail, and the clans forever changed
"The plant glinting in the moon's light...is me?" Fernshade asked.
"We believe so," Midnightstar said. "You're named for a plant, the fern, and your clan name is MoonClan."
"But I still don't understand!" Fernshade cried.
"Midnightstar, you can't let her! She may not be the one! It could be another cat!" Snowfall pleaded.
"She must be," Midnightstar said. "If she's not, we are all doomed."
Fernshade looked back and forth between Midnightstar and Snowfall. "But how do I stop it? And what is the "clawed storm'?" Fernshade asked, still confused. But Midnightstar an Snowfall were already fading. "Wait! Don't leave!"
"I will be watching over you, no matter what happens," Snowfall's voice touched Fernshade's ears as the scene dissolved around her, plunging Fernshade into the darkness of sleep.